Tell Me What To Do
by Ethereality88
Summary: Zack realizes that he's got the perfect chance to woo the girl of his dreams. Now if he can just manage to do it. One-shot.


**A/N:** **This is the first story of any kind that I've ever actually finished, let alone posted so many apologies if it's not all that good. Basically just a little piece of fluff involving Zack/London. I really like this pairing simply because London is the one girl in the TSL shows that Zack has _never_ hit on and my imagination just loves playing around with his reasons for that. Let me know what you think, good or bad. Cookies to anyone who gets the Buffy reference.**

**(You Know I Love It When You) Tell Me What To Do**

~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Zack, do you like this dress?" London Tipton asked, twirling around to showcase her latest purchase. The dress in question was a floor-length emerald green evening gown with a plunging back and a split that showed what Zack was sure was an indecent (yep, that couldn't even be legal) amount of thigh. All in all, it was the perfect reminder of what Zack had recently found himself noticing.

"London, any guy with a pulse is going to like that dress. What's the occasion?" Zack replied, doing his best to keep his eyes on her face and not on that (evil, definitely evil) slit in her skirt. Looking at it would just lead his mind places that it did _not_ need to be going. Zack wasn't really sure when this had happened. He and London had always been friends, but that's all it was. Zack's heart had belonged to Maddie during his younger years at the hotel and the time at sea had been spent having fun with no strings attached. Then, not long after they'd all returned to the hotel, Zack had really _noticed_ London. Noticed that she had legs that wouldn't quit and a laugh that did funny things to his insides and a smile that made him want to start spouting sonnets like the hero in one of those lame Hugh Grant movies. It was about that time that Zack noticed something else: he was so totally _screwed._

He was brought back to the present by London waving her hand in front of his face. Apparently, he hadn't done such a good job of keeping his brain where it needed to be. "Sorry, what'd you say?"

"I _said_ there's this big fund raiser thing that Daddy's throwing tonight and he says that since he can't be there, then I have to be. Even though it's going to be totally boring and everybody on the guest list is way old." London repeated impatiently, her lips forming a pout. Zack's brain turned to mush as he started thinking of various things his lips could do to wipe that pout from her face. However, her next words made him snap to attention.

"What was that?"

"Ugh, and they say _I'm _easily distracted." London said with a roll of her eyes. "Anyway, I said that you're coming with me as my escort. That way I won't be so bored."

"Why me? Wouldn't it make more sense to take that Lord or whatever he is that you've been dating?" Zack asked, trying to figure out why he was apparently trying to talk her into going with another guy. Especially one like that pompous windbag that had been hanging around for the past few months. The guy was a jerk and Zack was pretty sure that the only reason he'd latched on to London was because of the Tipton money. A little searching on Google and Zack had discovered that about all the guy had left was his title, having lost most of the money that generally came with it. However, he knew that London wasn't nearly as gullible as she'd been in the past and was probably already aware of Lord Falcon's (_seriously? _Did he make that name up?) reasons and would handle it herself if she needed to. Most of her boyfriends lately had been little more than someone to attend parties with, so Zack wasn't really worried about London getting hurt. He just didn't like the guy.

"Yeah, because _he_ would make the night so much more interesting." London said sarcastically. "If you come with me, I might actually have _fun_."

Zack couldn't hold back his grin. London wouldn't admit it to very many people (OK, so she only admitted it to him. And really, it didn't mean a damn thing to him that she told him things she'd never tell anyone else. _Right.)_ but she didn't really enjoy the time spent with most of her high society friends anymore. Oh sure, she went to the parties, she did the weekend trips to Paris and she still gasped in shock at the idea of spending less than a thousand dollars in one place. But then she came back to the hotel, changed into a t-shirt and jeans and proceeded to spend hours on her couch with Zack, listening to music or watching late night horror movies on TV. "Fine, I'll go see if Cody will let me borrow his . . ."

He was cut off by an impatient wave of her hand. "There's a tux waiting for you in your suite." she informed him over her shoulder as she headed back toward the elevators. "Now go get dressed and don't take too long."

Damn if he didn't love it when she got bossy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Cody was lounging on the couch watching TV when Zack came into their suite moments later. Zack immediately crossed the room and flopped down beside him.

"You know, Prince Charming usually doesn't wait around until Cinderella invites him to the ball in order to avoid being bored." Cody said wryly, looking away from the TV to his brother.

"And they say you're the smart one. Cinderella was a poor overworked waif. London Tipton isn't even one out of those three things. Cinderella was desperate. London can have any guy she wants." Zack replied, running a hand through his hair. "Besides, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm so not Prince Charming in this scenario. Prince Charming doesn't lose all ability to speak in full sentences because Cinderella bought a new dress. Lately, I'm lucky if I can get out a few vowel sounds before I have to go away."

"OK, so maybe Cinderella wasn't the best metaphor. But I still think you're being way too passive about this. You're Zack Martin. You've got a want, take, have mentality. But when it comes to London you just sit around playing the unnoticed best friend and moping because she has a date. All because you're so sure that she could never be interested in you."

"Why would she be?" Zack argued. "She's dating nobility for Christ's sake!"

"Well, it's not nobility that she spends hours talking to. It's not nobility that she goes running to when she's upset. And it's certainly not nobility that she's taking with her tonight. It's you. So I suggest you get over your little 'I'm not worthy' moment, and take a chance. Maybe you'll find out that she's not as unattainable as you think."

"Maybe you're right. No, you're definitely right! I have to do this. I'm going to do this. How am I going to do this?"

Cody laughed as he pushed himself off the sofa and headed towards their room. "I don't know, but you'd better come up with something better than vowel sounds, lover boy." he said with a grin. "You've got the perfect opportunity to let her know how you feel. I mean, come on. You've got the tux, the limo, the fancy party. It's the perfect setting. You get to be Prince Charming for the night . . . so sweep her off her feet."

Zack just threw himself back on the sofa and groaned.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zack paced the floor, trying to pull his thoughts together. He had been dressed for 45 minutes and felt like a freakin' girl waiting for her first date. And his wasn't even actually a date. Groaning in frustration, he checked his watch. He had ten minutes until he was supposed to meet London in the lobby and he was no closer to knowing how to tell London how he felt than he had been earlier. He did know that Cody was right though. This was his shot to make London think of him as something other than a friend. He couldn't waste it. Now if he could just figure out a way to do it that didn't involve making an idiot out of himself. Sure, he'd made an idiot of himself to impress girls before, but those were girls that he knew he had at least a shot with. And besides, if they blew him off, it was no big deal. There were plenty more where they came from. But there was only one London.

"OK Zack, you can do this. You just go down there and you charm her socks off all night and get through this fund raiser thing without making an ass of yourself and you just . . . you just go for it. And hope like hell it doesn't blow up in your face." he said to himself.

With that he determinedly marched out the door and towards the elevators.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

As the elevator doors opened up into the lobby, Zack's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Seeing his expression, London smiled. "So, I guess I can take that look as a compliment?" Zack simply nodded at her, still trying to get his brain functioning again. London's long black hair had been pulled away from her face but left to hang loosely down her back. She had added a smoky black outline to her eyes and darkened her lips to a deep ruby. If he'd thought she looked great earlier, she looked absolutely amazing now. And now he couldn't even get out any vowel sounds. Luckily, London seemed not to mind his silence. She simply shook her head at him and took his arm, leading him towards the front doors of the hotel. Zack cleared his throat nervously and wondered when he'd become as awkward as Cody.

"Seriously London, you look amazing. Which you always do. And you already know you look amazing so I really don't have to say it . . ." Zack babbled, mentally wincing at how _not_ smooth he was managing to sound, but London just giggled.

"Zack, calm down. You're acting like you've had too much sugar." She stopped walking and frowned at him. "You haven't been spending all of your time at the candy counter trying to impress Maddie again, have you?"

Zack shook his head, before getting a big grin. "Nope, that's Esteban's job now. Although I don't think he has as hard of a time impressing her as I always did." It was true, Maddie seemed to be thoroughly impressed by anything the former bellhop did, no matter how badly his attempts ended. And considering the man's slightly clumsy nature, a lot of them did in fact end badly.

London was silent again until they were settled into the back of the limo. "Does it bother you that she's with him now?" she finally asked softly.

"Maddie and Esteban? No, it doesn't bother me. Why should . . .? Oh!" Zack realized that London was thinking of all the years he'd spent trying to get Maddie to pay an interest in him. "London, I've been over Maddie for a long time now."

"Good." London said firmly. "I mean, I just didn't want you to be upset that she's with someone else." she continued quickly.

After looking at her quizzically for a moment, Zack smiled slowly, suddenly feeling a lot better about how this night was going.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zack understood why London was worried about being bored. He couldn't help a sense of relief when they finally climbed back into the limo at the end of the night.

Formal was certainly the word for tonight's festivities. It had consisted mainly of middle aged shareholders and their wives. He and London had spent the night making polite small talk about things neither of them had any interest in. His hopes of dancing with London had been short lived as it had turned out that dancing wasn't something any of these people seemed to be interested in. He would have eaten something to console himself, but he didn't recognize the majority of the food they'd served and the one thing that had looked interesting had turned out to be . . . well, not something he wanted to eat. "Thanks for saving me from the calf brains, London. I can't believe I almost ate that." He shuddered at the thought. Wasn't it only zombies who were supposed to eat brain?

London giggled as she settled in beside him. "Anytime." She wrinkled her nose. "Some things are just _not_ meant to be eaten."

Zack leaned back in his seat as they pulled out into the Boston traffic. Riding in limos never got old. _For one thing, you don't have to keep your eyes on the road,_ he thought to himself, looking over at London. She had leaned her head back and closed her eyes. A slight smile still showed on her face.

"What?" she asked, opening her eyes and finding him staring at her. "I can feel you looking at me. Oh! Is my make-up messed up?"

"Your make-up is still perfect. Which I'm sure you know, considering you insisted on checking it before we left. And every half hour before that." Zack replied, playfully rolling his eyes at her. "I don't know why you wear the stuff anyway. It's not like you don't look beautiful without it." Zack looked away, uncharacteristic nerves showing on his face. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to face her. She was looking at him questioningly. "London, you're one of my best friends. And I _really _don't want to mess that up. But I was thinking that maybe, if you wanted, we maybe could try being . . . well, something besides just friends." He looked away again, afraid that she was going to burst out laughing at his nerve. London Tipton was way out of his league and he knew it. Her silence was starting to get to him though. Couldn't she at least say _something_?

A soft touch on his arm got his attention. Turning back to her, he was surprised to see that she was in fact grinning. His face dropped and he opened his mouth to take it all back, say it was just a joke, anything to avoid the humiliation he knew was coming. "It's about time! I've been waiting and waiting and you were taking forever!" Laughing at his incredulous face, she continued. "Zack, you're my best friend. I talk to you about everything. I come to you when I need advice. I don't know what I'd do without you." Shaking her head, she reached over and ran a hand down his cheek. "Not to mention, somewhere along the way, you got hot. Which is why I want you to stop looking at me like that, and just kiss me already. I'm really tired of waiting around for you to . . ." Her words were cut off when Zack's lips swooped down and captured hers in a passionate kiss. When the driver stopped in front of the hotel, neither one of them noticed or cared.

Yep, Zack was sure of it. There just wasn't anything hotter than London when she was being bossy.


End file.
